Wedding Tips – Your Speeches

May 8, 2017

Don’t Let Your Wedding Speeches Get Out of Control

Like all successful occasions and events, your wedding day requires a firm, guiding hand to ensure it runs smoothly and successfully. With weddings, this guidance cannot be too overbearing or be too visible on the day, because it’s important that the occasion feels relaxed and celebratory.

However, there are key elements where control is vital, and one of these is the wedding speeches.

From my viewpoint, as a wedding film maker, I know that the wedding speeches have an important part to play as a focal point for each wedding story. But if they aren’t properly prepared, and if they go on too long, then they can throw a spanner in the works when it comes to how your wedding runs.

Why is Wedding Speech Length Important?

Obviously, what the father of the bride, the groom and the best man choose to say is important, as is how they say it. But even the best speeches risk self-sabotage if they run away with themselves.

A successful speech requires structure – improvising on the day is not the best option.

An ideal speech length to work to is 10 minutes.

Wedding speech structure and length are important for several reasons. First of these is that you want the content of the speeches to be appropriate for the day, and for the speaker. Of course, the groom’s speech can be humorous, but the groom should also be aware of boundaries and when not to cross them.

Secondly, the speeches happen within the framework of the wedding in its entirety. You should know when they will occur (before, during or after the meal), and in what order. If the speeches go on too long you risk throwing your wedding off course.

A third reason is to do with how you capture the day. If you’re filming your wedding, the speeches must work as part of the narrative. If they are too long, then they can unbalance the whole feel of your wedding. And the meaning of the speeches themselves can get lost amid too much other detail.

Planning the Wedding Speeches

This applies to the overall order of the speeches and where they sit in the day, and to the individuals making them.

Think about the audience, and whether it’s a small, family gathering or a larger group of people.

What is the impact you want your speech to have? Are you trying to deep emotions, humour, sentimentality?

Can you make your speech a bit different? If you’re confident about your abilities then it’s fine to experiment a little, but if you’re not so sure then play it safe while keeping it sincere.

Finally, prepare and rehearse. Like crazy. Try out your voice and see how well it projects. Test your speech for length when you rehearse it. But remember not to rush it. Take pauses. Let your words resonate. Think of the structure, and the likely impact of what you’re saying.

Remember, work to an ideal speech length of 10 minutes. You should be able to say what you want to say, at a relaxed, clear pace, within this amount of time.

We don’t just point and shoot, we tell your wedding story, from beginning to end. We know how important the highlights are, including the wedding speeches. Talk to us about your wedding and what we can do to make your day memorable.

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Manchester Wedding Videography

I tell love stories on film, making your wedding that much more memorable, so that you can relive your wedding day and share your love. I cover Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and the North West but can work further afield on request, including destination weddings abroad.